Meet Our Staff

Bronwyn T. Williams

Director and Endowed Chair in Rhetoric and Composition

I love to write and to teach writing. Writing is the way we connect our ideas, emotions, and lives with one another. It is essential to the intellectual life of the university and to communicating our common humanity. As a teacher, I believe that the only way to teach effectively is to listen carefully to what students have to say and work with their writing so it expresses their ideas, not ours. Our goal as writing teachers is to help students develop a rhetorical awareness and writing processes that will allow them to negotiate the unfamiliar writing and reading situations they encounter both inside the university and beyond. I also believe that writing can be pleasurable and fulfilling, even as it is hard work. I have had a broad range of teaching experiences in composition and rhetoric, literature, creative writing, popular culture, and journalism. I also research and write about issues of literacy, identity, digital media, and writing center studies. My individual webpage has more information about my scholarship and my teaching. My other passions are playing music, hiking, travel, cooking, movies, and baseball.

Annmarie Steffes

Associate Director

Annmarie holds a PhD in English from the University of Iowa and B.A. in English from Ohio University. Before coming to the University of Louisville, she started the Writing Center at the University of Saint Francis in Fort Wayne, Indiana and served as its Director and as an Assistant Professor of English for four years. Annmarie’s academic research has focused on nineteenth-century dramas by British women writers and the relationship between print and performance, but her writing experiences are diverse and include publishing creative nonfiction, writing grants, and working as a copyeditor. Annmarie believes that writing holds the power to build bridges between people and loves helping writers meet their academic and personal goals, build confidence in their abilities, and experiment with their expression. When not singing the praises of the Writing Center, Annmarie enjoys hanging out with her dog, gardening, and cooking. 

Maddy Decker

Program Assistant, Senior

Maddy holds an MA in English from UofL and a BA in English and anthropology from the University of Kentucky, and she is now pursuing an MFA in creative writing from Eastern Kentucky University. Her creative work has been featured in Shale and The Kentucky Kernel’s literary magazine. Maddy loves helping writers build skills, confidence, and an enjoyment of writing. Outside of the Writing Center, she enjoys reading thrillers, listening to pop punk, and watching The X Files.
Liz Soule

Liz Soule

Assistant Director for the University Writing Center

Liz is a third-year Ph.D. student in Rhetoric and Composition. She graduated from Salem State University with a B.S. in Education and a B.A. in English, and received her M.A. in English from UofL. Having served as a consultant throughout the entirety of her master’s program, Liz is thrilled to be able to share her knowledge with writers and consultants alike. She views building support systems within the Writing Center as essential to its function. Her research interests are rooted in writing center and composition studies, more specifically writing in the disciplines, first-year composition and graduate student education. Outside of academia, Liz enjoys cooking, swimming and fostering orphaned kittens for the local humane society. 

Kendyl Harmeling

Assistant Director for Graduate Student Writing

Kendyl (she/her) is a second-year PhD student in the Rhetoric and Composition program. She earned her B.A. in History and Philosophy from Western Connecticut State University and her M.A. in English here at UofL. Her research interests range from the Rhetoric of Health and Medicine (RHM) to Policing-and-Prison Abolition studies. Foundational to these interests is a scholarly passion for Critical Race Theories and Methodologies. Essentially, a passion for creating and sustaining justice. In her role as AD for Graduate Student Writing, Kendyl is excited to bring her interdisciplinary background to her work with graduate students across the disciplines and campuses of UofL. Outside her doctoral work, Kendyl enjoys writing poetry, playing with her cats Salem and Azuki, and harvesting her crops in Stardew Valley.

Christina Davidson

Writing Consultant

Christina is a first-year Ph.D. student in Rhetoric and Composition. She holds an MA in English from Indiana University Southeast, a Master of Arts in Teaching from Bellarmine University, and a BA in English from Indiana University Southeast. She previously served as a writing center consultant for the IUS Writing Center during her BA program, so she’s delighted to be working with students in the writing center once again. Outside of work, Christina loves to relax in nature. Her hobbies include reading, writing, hiking, birding, and cooking.

Braydon Dungan

Writing Consultant

Braydon (he/him) is a graduate student seeking his Master's in English. Upon culmination of this program, he hopes to continue his studies to obtain his Ph.D. in order to become a university professor. Braydon is a 2018 graduate from Morehead State University where he was a part of the George M. Luckey Honors Program. Academically, Braydon is interested in a variety of topics including cultural rhetoric, queer and feminist theory, and ESL writing pedagogy. Aside from academics, Braydon enjoys spending time with his Goldendoodle, watching and playing soccer, and binge-watching Netflix series. Braydon is passionate about writing and believes that everyone is capable of enjoying it as well as long as they are given the means and inspiration to succeed.

Katie Fritsche

Writing Consultant

Katie is currently following the path God has put her on by studying a Master of Arts in English at University of Louisville. She recently finished her undergraduate degree in English, with a French minor at Jacksonville University and studied abroad in France her last semester of college. She continues to fulfill her love for traveling and hopes to someday pursue a PhD in either Canada, England, or Scotland. In her free time, you will either find Katie halfway across the world in an exotic place, reading a book, or quietly sampling the latest Boba tea. Pronouns: She/Her

Mahde Hassan

Writing Consultant

Mahde Hassan is pursuing his MA in English at the University of Louisville. He  received a B.A. in English from East West University in 2021. His is interested in literacy studies, composition studies, cultural rhetoric, digital rhetoric and writing program administration. Mahde loves helping others to improve writing skills. He considers writing as an inevitable skill. He believes every voice is important and needs to be heard, and for that developing writing skills is essential. Moreover, he loves speaking up against inequalities in the society with his writing. His articles can be found in The Daily Star, Dhaka Tribune and The Business Standard, some of the most popular national dailies in Bangladesh. Beyond academia, he enjoys listening to music, watching movies, and playing cricket and soccer in his free time.

Wendell Hixson

Writing Consultant

Wendell is a first year Master's GTA student hailing from Yukon, Oklahoma. He earned his BA in English from the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma with unofficial focuses on rhetoric and composition, especially the rhetoric of science. He deeply values clear communication, but admittedly can have a tendency for wordiness and flair in his writing. He believes that if you aren't enjoying what and how you write, then you're missing the point entirely. While attending USAO, Hixson served on his university's academic journal review board, and appeared in the journal itself many times, as well as working closely with multiple professors on papers that spanned multiple subjects. His liberal arts college upbringing has left him curious and open to writing and reading about diverse and seemingly unrelated topics, and has found enjoyment in interrelating the world's many facets. He has spent many years improving his writing and analytical skills and remains open to this learning. With a minor in psychology, he usually finds interest in analyzing the way people think when experiencing rhetoric and, additionally, how to communicate in ways that battle the rampant misinformation and disinformation found in modern discourse. His interests lie in a variety of subjects, such as climate science, environmentalism, political rhetoric, rhetoric of science, poetry, short stories, linguistics, foreign language, etymology, and—above all things—ice hockey.

Andrew Messer

Writing Consultant

Andrew is an MA student who enjoys the workings of the modern day fantastic, American literature, and, most recently, fairy tales. He received his BA in English from the University of Louisville in 2022. His main interests are in creative writing, and he enjoys writing stories in his own fantastical world. He is also passionate about the thematic significance of American literature, specifically the American short story. Though his heart belongs to the fantastic, Andrew enjoys realism and creative non-fiction writing as well. Beyond academia, Andrew enjoys reading fantasy and sci-fi novels, watching anime with his wife, and listening to heavy metal.

Elizabeth Pope

Writing Consultant

Elizabeth is a PhD student in Comparative Humanities at the University of Louisville. She holds an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Bluegrass Writers Studio and an M.A. in English Literature from Eastern Kentucky University. She is from an Appalachian coal-town in the mountains of Southeastern Kentucky where her family resides. She enjoys hiking with her family in National Parks, Andrew Wyeth paintings, books, and tea. Her poems appear in various poetry journals and magazines including North Dakota Quarterly, Appalachian Heritage, and elsewhere.  

Charlie Ward

Writing Consultant

Charlie is a first-year M.A. candidate in English. They have an interest in contemporary literature, class-focused analysis, and anti-imperialism, as well as examining works from a feminist lens. As a writing consultant, they are most looking forward to helping writers develop and clarify their ideas, as well as apply a variety of learning techniques for different neurotypes. Outside of work, they enjoy horror movies, collecting vinyl records, and—of course—reading.

Yuan Zhao

Writing Consultant

Yuan (he/him) is a second-year MA student in the English department. Before having become a student in humanities, Yuan used to work as an engineer at substations in China. He holds an MA in English from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. In addition to working at the University Writing Center, Yuan also teaches First-year composition as a GTA. He enjoys discussing organization, thesis, and audience awareness with writers. Feel free to make an appointment with him, if you want some feedback from an experienced reader. If he has some leisure time, Yuan enjoys exploring Louisville and hanging out with his cohort friends.

Katelin Wilkinson

Office Assistant

Katelin is a first-year student at the University of Louisville, where she is majoring in Psychology with a minor in the English field. She hopes to pursue a career in publishing. Katelin enjoys reading, drinking coffee, and watching sports, all of which are a few of her greatest passions. You can usually find her studying in the library or walking around campus with her headphones in. 

Tera Hathcock 

Office Assistant

Tera (She/Her) is a first-year student at the University of Louisville. She is majoring in English with a minor in Women’s Gender and Sexuality Studies. Tera has plans to become a publisher once she graduates. She loves to read, socialize, watch movies, and listen to music on vinyl. She is active in a few organizations, the most notable being Honors Student Council and Ignite the Ville. Tera can be found in the library studying or out exploring campus.